Workforce: What if?
by karlaluvt
Summary: Based on the episode(s) Workforce... This is a Tom/B Elanna "what if" Voyager was never rescued story starting about 4 or 5 days after Tom introduces B Elanna to his friends who are also expecting a baby. Story rated K now but could go up to T in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

This is a Tom/B Elanna "what if" Voyager was never rescued story based on the episode(s) Workforce. This story starts about 4 or 5 days after Tom introduces B Elanna to his friends who are also expecting a baby.

Note:

1. For this fanfiction the alien planet will run on a 7 day/24 hour time table.

2. The place Tom works is going to be called the Raven Restaurant Bar and Grill

3. B Elanna is seven months preggers

* * *

Heavy knocking on the apartment door alerted B Elanna of an uninvited guest. After rolling over in bed she noted the time. Though it was ten in the morning, she had only been sleeping for about forty minutes due to working night shift.

As the knocking continued she rose from the bed, leaving the bedroom and walked towards the entryway of her apartment.

"Who is it?" She yelled

"It's Tom" came the voice from the other side of the door.

His voice caused her to stop short of reaching for the panel that would open the door to her apartment. What was he doing here she thought. After a brief look in the mirror hanging on the wall she patted her hair down before opening the door.

"Hey" said the blue eyed blond leaning against the door frame, smiling down at her.

"Hi... What are you doing here?" she asked, sounding more defensive and curious then she meant to.

After giving her a quick once over Tom noted everything from the over sized gray tee shirt to her bright red toe nails peeking out from her purple pj bottoms. She looked okay, still heavy with child and a little tired but okay "Hadn't seen you in a couple of days" he started before pausing "are we going to have this conversation in the hallway?"

"Oh, right..." B Elanna said as she opened the door wide for Tom to enter her one bedroom apartment.

Walking in Tom followed B Elanna to a small dining table with two chairs off the kitchenette area. "I haven't seen you in a couple of days and wanted to check on you... make sure you were okay." Tom said while taking a seat.

"I'm fine, working a new ten hour shift so I haven't had time to stop in." B Elanna replied as she too took a seat.

"Ten hours... all this week?"

"No, just until tomorrow. After that I have Friday and Saturday off." B Elanna answered which was followed by a yawn.

"Okay, I will let you get some sleep... if you go missing again, I know where to find you." Tom said as he started to rise from this seat. He could see that she was tired and was obviously trying to be polite by letting him enter her apartment in the first place.

"How did you know where to find me?" B Elanna asked as she too started to rise.

"You know it was a lot harder then you would think. Not a lot of people know who you are even being as detailed as I was. After some asking around at the Raven I was finally able to track you to this building with you living on either the third, forth or seventh floor." Tom said with a grin.

"You really should get to know your neighbors." Tom said jokingly but in truth he was worried. He must have asked one hundred workers over three days about her and no one seemed to know who she was. Did she really not get out or talk to anyone? Was she really all alone here?

"So how did you find my apartment?" B Elanna asked while reaching for the panel to open the door.

"I started at the bottom... was going to work my way up." Tom answered "Now I know, apartment 408"

"You mean to tell me you knocked on every door on the third and forth floor?"

"Well not every door on the forth floor." Tom said with a smile before walking into the hallway. "Imma let you get some sleep but Friday night... I will have your pancakes waiting for you." Tom called over his shoulder as be walked down the hall not bothering to wait for a reply.

* * *

So what do you think?

Anyone interested in this story continuing?

P.S. If you wanna beta read let me know :)


	2. Chapter 2

Star Trek Voyager: Workforce, What if?

A what if fanfiction based on the episode(s) Workforce... This is a Tom/B Elanna what if Voyager was never rescued story. This story starts days after Tom introduces B Elanna to his friends who are also expecting a baby.

Notes: Nate and Belle are the couple Tom introduced B Elanna to

* * *

Friday night.

"Sooo, how were the pancakes?" Tom asked B Elanna as she popped the last bit of pancake in her mouth.

"Good, there was something different about them but whatever it was I liked it"

"Yeah?" Tom asked cheerfully. "That's good. I've been looking up different pancake receipts to try on you. With this one I took away the oil and added melted and browned butter to the mix."

"Oh, trying different receipts are we?" B Elanna asked raising an eyebrow. "Just don't overdue it, my stomach has been sensitive lately."

"Yes, ma'am." Tom answered with a grin. "Can I get you anything else? Some juice maybe?"

"No, I'm going to head back... I was going to shop for a crib today. I want to get a move on before the stores close." B Elanna said while standing. "Oh, and can you tell your friends Nate and Belle not to worry about the labor classes. I don think the times available will fit into my scheduled."

"So your not going?"

"No, I don't think I will. My people have been doing the "Oh, natural" forever, I think I'll be fine."

At that response Tom could only shake his head before asking. "So next Friday?"

"Me and my baby will be here." B Elanna said before waving while exiting The Raven.

Later that night as Tom looked up pancake receipts on his home computer he wondered what was driving him to do so. His fascination with B Elanna was compelling . Ever since that first day she walked into The Raven he thought of nothing but her. He even went so far as to break a date he had finalized with a random blonde just two hours before first seeing B Elanna. He had so many question. What species was she? He was sure she was unique as none entering The Raven looked anything like her. Was her ex boyfriend on this planet? In this town? Funny but the baby she carried wasn't even an issue. He would have never given a pregnant woman a second thought but B Elanna and her baby were different. All Tom wondered was how could he get closer to her? He knew cooking pancakes would only last for so long and so far she hadn't been forthcoming with any information about herself at all.

As Tom turned off the computer and got ready for bed his thoughts drift to the one thing he thought about recentlyt... B Elanna's hair, for some odd reason he had been itching to know what it smelled like, to touch it, to see if it was as soft as it looked. He never thought he was the type of guy to care about hair and if he did he preferred blondes but her hair shined, creating almost a halo around her in the light that Tom found fascinating.

The week quickly passed for Tom and as he put away clean drinking glasses under the bar he looked up at the clock on the wall. In just under three hours The Raven would be closing for the night. Tomorrow was Friday and Tom would be making pancakes with malted milk for B Elanna to try.

* * *

"Hey."

Surprised to hear her voice, Tom looked up from what he had been doing.

"Hey yourself" Tom greeted B Elanna with a smile. "You want something to drink?"

"No, I just got off and I'm about to head home. I'm stopping by to let you know I'm not going to be able to make it tomorrow."

Already knowing that she was not going to give any more detail Tom asked "What wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm having the crib and some other stuff delivered tomorrow and I'm not sure what time they'll get to my place."

"So last week was productive, you got help putting the crib together?"

"I'm an engineer. I think I can handle it." at that Tom smiled more to himself then B Elanna because once again she didn't answer his question.

"Alright. Let me give you my phone number and the number here so you don't have to walk here so late at night to tell me something next time." Seeing no pen on the counter Tom switched his tactic. "I don't have a pen, how about you give me your number, I have a great memory. I'll call you and leave my numbers on your voice mail." As Tom finished his statement he hoped B Elanna was to tired to realize that in a restaurant/bar there were hundreds of pens lying around. Hell there was a cup full on them under the bar but at this rate he didn't think he would ever get her number.

B Elanna quickly rattled off her phone number with a look in her eyes that Tom recognized as a challenge before walking out of The Raven. Did she not expect him to remember the digits... Oh how surprised she would be when she got home to hear his voice on her phone. But before he made the call he looked over at the manger.

"I know it's short notice but I wont be able to make it in until after the lunch rush. Is that okay?"

"That's fine, as long as your here to close up blue eyes" She answered.

Great. Tom thought. Because B Elanna was going to get his help, like it or not.

* * *

I so hope you enjoyed Chapter 2, if so please review and let me know.

Thanks to SalemAnderson and ktikt13 for reviewing :)


	3. Chapter 3

Star Trek Voyager: Workforce, What if?

A what if fanfiction based on the episode(s) Workforce... This is a Tom/B Elanna what if Voyager was never rescued story.

Notes: I always thought Tom would be the cook in the family... also please read directions when assembling any and all items LOL

* * *

Chapter 3

Why B Elanna let Tom into her apartment she didn't know.

Why she agreed to let him help her put together the crib and baby swing she had no idea.

Of course he had shown up with a bag full groceries which helped him gain access. Now he stood in her small kitchen putting the finishing touches on his famous chicken and rice stew.

"Your going to love it, while it's stewing we can get started on the crib." Tom said as he placed a lid on the pot.

Turning towards her, B Elanna couldn't help but smile. She had seen him slice and dice for almost an hour making a salad which he stuck in the fridge for later along with some rolls he said he planned to warm up. After all that chopping and tossing he still looked... Perfect, not a hair out of place, his clear blue eyes bright like always.

"What?"

"Nothing" B Elanna answered while rising from the chair. Once Tom informed her of his intent to cook he had pulled up a chair for her to sit in and talk to him while he worked.

The fact that B Elanna agreed to let him in, cook for her and help her put together the baby's stuff didn't go unnoticed by Tom. He got that she wasn't a conversationalist so he had done most of the talking. Telling her about the stew and how he had learned to cook it from his mother. He had said with a smirk how cooking was one of his passions. He hoped she would relax and as he looked at her sitting in the chair next to him, listening to his story it seemed as if she had.

Now as they walked over to boxes stacked against the living room wall, Tom ripped open the first one. "Baby swing, hours of enjoyment." before turning to the second, larger box.

"It's actually a swing and highchair in one. With my limited space I thought it was a good idea."

"Speaking of space, where are you going to put this stuff" Tom asked. It was obvious this apartment was meant for one. Which made him think that her baby wasn't planned.

"Well the crib will go in the nook over there" B Elanna said as she pointed to the space "And the swing will go by the table."

While B Elanna discussed strategy Tom had removed all the parts to the crib and was already putting the frame together.

"Umm, you forgot the directions." B Elanna said while lifting the paper from the floor.

"Directions... I don't need any directions. When I was twelve I put together a car engine as a summer project."

And that was all it took for an informal challenge to take place. Who could put together their item faster and correctly. The engineer worked on the swing with directions while the bar tender winged putting together a crib.

Three hours later they sat at the table in the kitchen eating stew and arguing over who won.

"B Elanna, I have to head over to the bar. I'm closing up tonight."

"Okay, thanks for helping and thanks for the early dinner."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, it's even better the second day so I will leave the leftovers here." Tom said as he walked the dishes to the sink.

"I have lunch now, do you woo all the girls this way?" B Elanna said as she walked with him towards the front door. Feeling a little uncomfortable she added "Look, I really want to thank you again. You didn't have to come over here to help but you did."

"If I don't, who will?" Tom said jokingly. Choosing to ignore the comment she had made seconds ago.

"What does that mean?" B Elanna asked as one eyebrow raised. "I could have put everything together myself"

"I know you could have B Elanna, but I wanted to be here." Tom said while staring into her dark eyes before his eyes dropped to her heavy belly "You do know that right?"

"I'll see you later." was her answer as she opened the door to her apartment to see him out.

As the door closed B Elanna leaned against it. Wonder yet again what he, Tom Paris wanted with her.

As Tom heard the lock to B Elanna's apartment door click he leaned against it. Pondering over why he was so drawn to her. This hard, angry, at times unresponsive and very pregnant woman. What was it about her that made him ache and worry and dream for a something different.


End file.
